Over 110 people confirmed dead in devastating Niger floods, more casualties expected

Over 100 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the devastating floods that tore parts of Niger State on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

 A spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ibrahim Audu Husseini, confirmed that 115 bodies have so far been recovered, with the death toll expected to rise further.

Emergency workers are still conducting rescue operation and search for residents who went missing after the torrential rains washed away and submerged dozens of homes in and around the city of Mokwa, in Niger State.

“We have so far recovered 115 bodies and more are expected to be recovered because the flood came from far distance and washed people into the River Niger,” per AFP.

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“Downstream, bodies are still being recovered. So, the toll keeps rising,” Husseini added.

The NSEMA official stressed that many residents were still unaccounted for, citing a family of 12 where only four members have been found.

“Some bodies were recovered from the debris of collapsed homes,” he noted, adding that his teams would need excavators to retrieve corpses from under the rubble.

The death toll has surpassed 88, as a provisional figure given earlier on Friday by Hussaini Isah, the official coordinating the search and rescue operation.

FG initiates urgent response

The deadly floods have overwhelmed local infrastructure, leaving families stranded and causing significant damage to homes and livelihoods.

Reacting on Friday, the Federal Government initiated an urgent response to the incident and expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and all those affected by this tragic event," Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said in a statement.

Idris confirmed that President Bola Tinubu had been briefed on the situation and has directed all relevant emergency and security agencies to intensify ongoing search and rescue operations.

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"The immediate priority of the Federal Government is to save lives and provide urgent relief to survivors," he added.

The government also appealed to residents in the affected areas to cooperate fully with emergency officials and to comply with all evacuation directives issued to ensure their safety.